The High Blood Pressure Diet

Are you faced with the decision: Should I go on a high blood pressure diet or should I just take medications? Is a diet for high blood pressure effective or am I just going to waste my time?

Well, I'm hoping the articles in this series will help you make the right decision.

Considering that many
dietary factors can affect your blood pressure, it make sense that you can reverse the problem by addressing them. Some of them are:

Obesity and being overweight

A high sodium-to-potassium ratio

A low-fibre, high-sugar diet

High saturated fat and low omega-3 fatty acid intake

A diet low in calcium, magnesium and vitamin C

Diet and High Blood Pressure

Considering that obesity is the major dietary cause of hypertension, achieving ideal body weight
is the most important recommendation for those with high blood pressure. Even a
modest amount of weight loss can mean a reduction in blood pressure.

Vegetarians generally have a
lower incidence of high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases than
do non-vegetarians, so you might think that there’s something in meat that
encourages high blood pressure. But that’s not the whole picture.

Even if the sodium intake is
the same, a vegetarian diet typically contains more potassium, complex
carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, fibre, calcium, magnesium and vitamin C,
all of which have a favorable influence on blood pressure, and less saturated
fat and refined carbohydrates.

Salt and High Blood Pressure

The first thing people do
when they go on a high blood pressure diet is to cut down on salt. Perhaps you’ve
tried the same thing and it hasn’t worked for you.

This may or may not work, depending
on your individual biological make-up. Some people who have a
natural increased sensitivity to dietary sodium are more likely to benefit from
cutting back sodium intake.

But not everybody is a
"salt responder". The only way to know if you are is to try it.

Scientists have been arguing
for years over the impact of salt on high blood pressure and the debate is
likely to go on.

Probably what confuses the
results of the various studies is not so
much how much sodium is consumed but how much potassium is in the diet.

A diet high in sodium and low
in potassium is associated with high blood pressure. Conversely, a diet high in
potassium and low in sodium can lower blood pressure.

Numerous studies have shown
that sodium restriction alone does not improve blood pressure in most people;
it must be accompanied by a high potassium intake.

Most American and Western
Europeans have a potassium-to-sodium intake ratio of less than 1:2, meaning
they ingest more than twice as much sodium as potassium.

Researchers recommend a
dietary potassium-to-sodium ratio of greater than 5:1 to maintain health. And
if you already have health problems, well, the ratio should be much higher.

The best way to boost
potassium levels is to increase the intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains
and legumes. The easiest way to lower sodium intake is to avoid prepared foods
and table salt, and use potassium chloride salt substitutes, such as the
popular brands Solo and LoSalt, instead.

Also Himalayan Pink Salt has
become very popular and seems to be a better option than ordinary salt as it
contains a lot of other minerals that are actually very beneficial to the body.

Fish
is another must for those who want to be on a high blood pressure diet.
Its oil seems essential in keeping blood pressure on a healthful
plateau. Eat fatty fish, such as mackerel, sardines, salmon or herring,
three times a week.

Go easy on the salt shaker when cooking. And don't add salt at
the table. Most of all, be wary of processed foods, which are often
loaded with sodium. One study found that about 70% of all sodium in
typical diets came from such processed foods.

Keep your alcohol intake to a drink or two a day. And avoid binge-drinking, which can drive your blood pressure up considerably.

If you are overweight, lose weight, which is a sure way to bring blood pressure down.

Summary of Foods to be Included in Your High Blood Pressure Diet

(Follow the links to see them discussed in more detail or click on the NEXT link to see them in order)